LYMINGTON & NEW MILTON FC	Match Report 2001/2002
Kemp's cloud has a silver lining Saturday 13th April 2002 : Jewson Wessex League Lymington & New Milton 2, Moneyfields 0

Lymington & New Milton picked themselves up from defeat, after succumbing once again to an all-conquering Andover side only two days before, to get back on the winning trail in this match at Fawcett's Field. However, with any faint hopes of challenging for the league title having finally been dashed by Thursday's result, there was some reward for player-manager Graham Kemp when he was presented with a silver platter before the game to commemorate having played 500 times for the Linnets, a milestone he reached in the previous Tuesday's encounter with Downton. Kemp will also draw some satisfaction from the fact that, having been made captain for the day and with his side playing their fourth game in eight days, they managed to convert a bright start to this match into a comfortable victory.

Having been "caught cold" on a number of previous occasions, the Linnets started in a purposeful manner, knocking the ball around with confidence and looking to take the game to their opponents from Portsmouth. Having got into their Stride (in a manner of speaking), it was the defender of that name who advanced down the right wing and crossed for Matt Town to place his shot firmly into the visitors' net to give them the lead on ten minutes. Briefly, Moneyfields threatened a response with two corners in quick succession but both were dealt with comfortably by Spillane in the home goal.

Lymington & New Milton then had further chances to go ahead, both initiated by the speed and quick thinking of Steve Strong. First he embarked on a run at the visitors' defence before crossing to the unmarked Gareth Keeping but unfortunately the ball "stood up" as Keeping moved to strike and his shot went over the bar. Then Strong created a chance for himself when he cleverly flipped the ball over a defender's head and ran round his opponent to retrieve it before hitting a shot on the run which went narrowly wide of the far post.

Half-time : L.&N.M. 1, Moneyfields 0

If anything, L&NM enjoyed an even greater share of possession in the second period than they had in the first. Nigel Mottashed was prominent in defence and he took every opportunity he could to set wing-back Liam Green forward and Green gave the Moneyfields defence an anxious time, producing a number of excellent crosses which were not capitalized on by his team-mates. That is not to say that it was one-way traffic but whenever the visitors did manage to win possession they found themselves baulked by a resolute home defence.

They had other problems as well, with Leigh Phillips showing some of his old form and proving a real handful for the visiting defenders whilst being unlucky not to register on the scoresheet. The home side were not to be denied however and eventually the mounting pressure told when a corner by Strong was only partially cleared to Nigel Mottashed who thumped the ball into the net. His work done, Strong departed to be replaced by Ross Drew before Jason Stride nearly capped another good performance since returning from injury when his effort hit a post. With the contest seemingly sewn-up, Brett Phillips was introduced in place of namesake Leigh as the Linnets seemed content to play the ball around in a comfortable manner and so close the game out.

Lymington & New Milton: Spillane, Stride, Green, Kemp, Gazzard, Mottashed, Strong [Drew 65], Keeping, L. Phillips [B. Phillips 75], Tate, Town. Unused sub: Glenister.

  Online with the Linnets © Paul Johns MMII